PM Modi goes on safari in Gir, lauds tribals for preserving habitat of Asiatic lions

Sasan (Gujarat): Prime Minister Narendra Modi went on a lion safari at Gir Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat's Junagadh district on Monday morning, on the occasion of the World Wildlife Day.

In a post on X, Modi said the population of Asiatic lions has seen a steady rise due to collective efforts, and commended the contribution of tribals and women living in surrounding areas in preserving the Asiatic lion habitat.

"This morning, on #WorldWildlifeDay, I went on a Safari in Gir, which, as we all know, is home to the majestic Asiatic Lion. Coming to Gir also brings back many memories of the work we collectively did when I was serving as Gujarat CM," he said.

"In the last many years, collective efforts have ensured that the population of Asiatic Lions is rising steadily. Equally commendable is the role of tribal communities and women from surrounding areas in preserving the habitat of the Asiatic Lion," Modi added.

"Over the last decade, the population of tigers, leopards, rhinos have risen too, indicating how deeply we cherish wildlife and are working to build sustainable habitats for animals," he said in another tweet.

The prime minister also posted pictures of lions that he came across during the safari. Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav, other ministers and senior forest department officials accompanied Modi during the safari.

The PM later went to chair the seventh meeting of the National Board for Wildlife at Sasan Gir, the headquarters of the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary.

The central government has approved more than Rs 2,900 crore for Project Lion, meant for the conservation of Asiatic lions for which Gujarat is the only abode, stated a government release.

Currently, the Asiatic lions inhabit nearly 30,000 square kilometres across 53 talukas in 9 districts of Gujarat, it said.

Additionally, as part of a national project, a National Referral Centre for Wildlife is being established on over 20.24 hectares of land at New Pipalya in Junagadh district, it said.

A high-tech monitoring centre for wildlife tracking and a state-of-the-art hospital have also been set up in Sasan to strengthen conservation efforts, the release said.

Earlier, Modi had a night halt at Sinh Sadan, a forest guest house managed by the state forest department, in Sasan after his arrival from Somnath where he offered prayers at the Lord Shiv temple, the first among 12 jyotirlingas, on Sunday evening.

On Sunday, Modi also visited Vantara, an animal rescue, conservation and rehabilitation centre located at the Reliance Jamnagar refinery complex. It is a rescue centre dedicated to the welfare of captive elephants and wildlife, providing sanctuary, rehabilitation and medical care to animals rescued from abuse and exploitation.